Dustin Johnson competes in Palmetto Championship ahead of U.S. Open

▲ This photo shows Dustin Johnson after making a mistake in one of his shots.

SEOUL, May 5 (Yonhap) -- Dustin Johnson, the world's No. 1 male golfer and last year's Masters champion, applied to compete in the Valero Texas Open just before the Masters, but eventually canceled.

The move was aimed at focusing on preparing for the Masters, the first major tournament of the season.

However, contrary to his expectations, Johnson was eliminated from the Masters.

Johnson has decided to participate in the Palmetto Championship just before the U.S. Open, the PGA Tour said on the 5th (KST).

Unlike the Masters, Johnson has shifted to maintaining his sense of practice rather than resting right before the competition.

The Palmetto Championship, which will open on June 11, was hurriedly created instead of the Canadian Open, which was canceled due to the corona virus outbreak.

The Congaree Golf Club in South Carolina, where the tournament will be held, is a two-hour drive from Johnson's hometown of Columbia, South Carolina.

The Congaree Golf Club opened in 2018 and is still unfamiliar to players.

"I have heard nothing but great reviews about the golf course at Congaree and have no doubt it will provide a stiff challenge for all of us on the PGA Tour," Johnson stated.

Johnson won the 2016 U.S. Open.

This year's U.S. Open will be held from June 18 to 21 at Torrey Pines Golf Club in San Diego, California.

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